To the people of Rwanda and to all our brothers and sisters across the Great Lakes region,
Our region has endured too much suffering, displacement, insecurity and division. Families have lost loved ones, communities have been separated, and generations have grown up carrying the wounds of conflict. Yet our history does not have to determine our future.
We believe that a better future is possible—a future in which every Rwandan can live with dignity, speak without fear, participate meaningfully in public life and look to tomorrow with hope.
The renewal of our region must be built on principles that belong to every human being: peace, justice, freedom, human dignity, accountable leadership and respect for the rule of law.
We reject the idea that political differences must become hatred between citizens. We reject collective punishment, ethnic division, violence against civilians and the politics of fear. Our common humanity must be stronger than our political differences.
The people of Rwanda have demonstrated extraordinary resilience. That resilience must now become the foundation for a peaceful and democratic future. We must create a society where political disagreement is not treated as treason, where institutions serve citizens rather than individuals, and where leaders are accountable to the people they govern.
Peace in Rwanda cannot be separated from peace in the Great Lakes region. Lasting stability requires dialogue among communities and nations, respect for territorial sovereignty, protection of civilians and genuine efforts to address the political and humanitarian causes of conflict.
We therefore call for a future based not on revenge, but on justice and reconciliation; not on fear, but on courage; not on division, but on the dignity we share as human beings.
Our message is simple:
Rwanda deserves peace. Rwanda deserves justice. Rwanda deserves accountable institutions. Rwanda deserves a future in which every citizen has a voice. And the people of the Great Lakes deserve to live without the shadow of endless conflict.
The road ahead will not be easy. But history teaches us that peaceful change becomes possible when people refuse to surrender their hope.
Let us work toward a Rwanda where no child inherits hatred, where no family fears political persecution, and where every citizen can contribute to building the country they call home.
The future belongs to the people. The future belongs to peace. The future belongs to a Rwanda reconciled with itself and with its neighbors.
Frank Ntwali
General Coordinator
Rwanda National Congress
Ku Banyarwanda bose, ndetse no ku bavandimwe na bashiki bacu bo mu karere k'Ibiyaga Bigari,
Akarere kacu kamaze igihe kirekire kihanganira imibabaro ikabije, kwimurwa ku ngufu, umutekano muke n'amacakubiri. Imiryango yatakaje abayo, abaturage baratandukanywa, kandi ibisekuru byagiye bikura bitwaye ibikomere byatewe n'amakimbirane. Nyamara amateka yacu ntakwiye kuba ari yo agena ejo hazaza hacu.
Twemera ko ejo hazaza heza hashoboka—ejo hazaza aho buri Munyarwanda ashobora kubaho afite agaciro n'icyubahiro, akavuga icyo atekereza adatinya, akagira uruhare rufatika mu buzima rusange bw'igihugu kandi akareba ejo hazaza afite ibyiringiro.
Ivugururwa ry'akarere kacu rigomba gushingira ku mahame areba buri muntu wese: amahoro, ubutabera, ubwisanzure, agaciro ka muntu, ubuyobozi bubazwa inshingano n'ubwubahirizw'amategeko.
Twamagana igitekerezo cy'uko itandukaniro rya politiki rigomba kuvamo urwango hagati y'abaturage. Twamagana ibihano bihuriweho, amacakubiri ashingiye ku moko, ihohoterwa rikorerwa abasivili na politiki ishingiye ku gutera ubwoba. Ubumuntu dusangiye bugomba kurusha imbaraga itandukaniro rya politiki riri hagati yacu.
Abaturage b'u Rwanda bagaragaje ubudacogora budasanzwe. Ubu budacogora bukwiye kuba umusingi w'ejo hazaza harangwa n'amahoro na demokarasi. Tugomba kubaka sosiyete aho kutavuga rumwe mu bya politiki bidafatwa nk'ubuhemu cyangwa ubugambanyi, aho inzego z'igihugu zikorera abaturage aho gukorera abantu ku giti cyabo, kandi aho abayobozi babazwa inshingano n'abaturage bayobora.
Amahoro mu Rwanda ntashobora gutandukanywa n'amahoro mu karere k'Ibiyaga Bigari. Umutekano urambye usaba ibiganiro hagati y'abaturage n'ibihugu, kubahiriza ubusugire bw'ibihugu, kurengera abasivili no gushyira imbaraga mu gukemura mu buryo nyakuri ibibazo bya politiki n'ubutabazi biri mu ntandaro z'amakimbirane.
Ni yo mpamvu duhamagarira twese guharanira ejo hazaza hashingiye ku butabera n'ubwiyunge aho gushingira ku kwihorera; ku butwari aho gushingira ku bwoba; ku bumwe aho gushingira ku macakubiri; no ku gaciro ka muntu dusangiye twese.
Ubutumwa bwacu burasobanutse:
U Rwanda rukwiye amahoro. U Rwanda rukwiye ubutabera. U Rwanda rukwiye inzego z'ubuyobozi zibazwa inshingano. U Rwanda rukwiye ejo hazaza aho buri Munyarwanda agira ijambo n'uruhare mu gihugu cye. Kandi abaturage bo mu karere k'Ibiyaga Bigari bakwiye kubaho badafite igitutu cy'amakimbirane adashira.
Inzira iri imbere ntizoroha. Ariko amateka atwigisha ko impinduka z'amahoro zishoboka iyo abantu banze gutakaza ibyiringiro.
Nimufatanye natwe guharanira u Rwanda aho nta mwana uzaraga urwango, aho nta muryango uzongera gutinya gutotezwa kubera ibitekerezo bya politiki, kandi aho buri Munyarwanda azagira uruhare mu kubaka igihugu yita icye.
Ejo hazaza ni ak'abaturage. Ejo hazaza ni ak'amahoro. Ejo hazaza ni ak'u Rwanda rwiyunze na rwo ubwarwo, rukabana mu mahoro n'abaturanyi barwo.
Frank Ntwali
Umuhuzabikorwa Mukuru
Rwanda National Congress
